London falls silent to remember the victims of 7/7 terror attacks

The driver of the bus which was targeted on Tavistock square shed tears at a service today Stefan Rousseau/PA

London paused in silence today to remember the July 7 attacks on the Tube and bus network as political leaders and police officers warned of an enduring threat from terrorism.

The capital — and country — fell silent to mark the 10th anniversary of the atrocity in which four suicide bombers murdered 52 people and injured hundreds more.

Survivors, relatives of the dead and rescuers from the emergency services joined together in a series of emotional tributes. At 8.50am — the exact time the first bombers struck — David Cameron led Boris Johnson, senior police officers and politicians to lay wreaths at the 7/7 memorial in Hyde Park.

At Russell Square Tube station —where 26 people died — Gill Hicks, who lost both legs below the knee in the blast, returned to lay flowers.

There were also emotional scenes at Tavistock Square, the scene of the last attack when a bomb ripped through a No30 double-decker at 9.47am after it had been diverted because of the earlier bombings.

The blast killed 13. Royal Mail worker Shyanuja Parathasangary, 30, — known as Shyanu — was on her way to work in Paddington when she was killed. Today her mother collapsed as she arrived at scene and had to be supported by family.

Gill Hicks lays flowers at Russell Square Picture: Jeremy Selwyn

A card left to “Our Precious Daughter” from “Mum & Dad” said her death had left “two broken hearts”.

At Edgware Road station, families of the six victims, TfL staff and police gathered in the ticket hall for a minute’s silence at 8.50. Commuters halted at the ticket barriers for a moment of reflection.

A mourner lays a wreath at Edgware road station Picture: Lucy Young

One man stood, with his head in his hands, silently crying. A woman walked from the crowd wiping away tears.

Floral tributes were also left at Aldgate station, where seven people died, and one man stopped to pray at the entrance.

Mr Cameron paid tribute to the “grace and the dignity” of families who lost loved ones.

A floral tribute laid in Hyde Park by members of the London Ambulance service

The Prime Minister said: “Ten years on, this is one of those days where everyone remembers exactly where they were when they heard the news.

“It’s a day when we recall the incredible resolve and resolution of Londoners and the United Kingdom, a day when we remember the threat we still face but above all it’s a day when we think of the grace and the dignity of the victims’ families for all they have been through and we honour the memory of those victims.”

He also said that the Tunisian beach massacre showed the danger remains 10 years on but vowed the nation would not be cowed by violent extremists.

Mayor Mr Johnson wrote on his wreath at Hyde Park : “Ten years may have passed, but London’s memory is undimmed. We honour again today the victims of 7/7. You will live forever in the hearts of the people of this city.”

A bunch of flowers was left with a card signed by “a fellow Londoner” which said: “Thinking of each & every one of you. You are not forgotten.”

Mr Johnson said the four suicide bombers had “failed in their aim” because Londoners’ values and way of life had not changed. “Ten years on if you look at London you could not say they have chipped any paint on it at all.”

He said the terrorists “didn’t in any way change the fundamentals of London and what makes this city great”, adding: “Indeed, it’s gone from strength to strength in the 10 years since.

The Prime Minister and Mayor of London lay wreaths at the 7/7 memorial

“I think most people would say that London has become even more cosmopolitan, even more welcoming.”

But Mr Johnson warned the threat remained from a “tiny minority”. “We’re as ready as we think we can be, and as you can imagine there are preparations going on all the time in the event of all kinds of attacks.”

Hundreds of Londoners took to Twitter to pay their own tributes and talk of where they had been when the bombs exploded.

In pictures: July 7, 2005, London bombings

In pictures: July 7, 2005, London bombings

1/15
Carnage

The destroyed number 30 bus that was being driven by George Psaradakis when it exploded in Tavistock Square (Picture: Peter Macdiarmid/PA)

Peter Macdiarmid/PA

2/15
Walking wounded

Victims leave Edgware Road Tube station to be treated at the London Hilton Metropole following the terrorist attacks (Picture: Edmond Terakopian/PA)

Edmond Terakopian/PA

3/15
Plotters

(L-R): Shehzad Tanweer, Germaine Lindsay and Mohammed Sidique Khan in Luton Train Station on June 28 during an apparent dry run of their devastating attack on the capital (Picture: Metropolitan Police)

7/15
Murderers

8/15
Remember

9/15
Hero

Stephen Hockin, who rescued casualties from the scene of the Edgware Road bombing (Picture: Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Dominic Lipinski/PA

10/15
Driver

Jeff Porter, who was driving a train in the opposite direction past the ill-fated Edgware Road Tube as it exploded (Picture: Anthony Devlin/PA)

Anthony Devlin/PA

11/15
Tavistock Square

The scene nearby after the number 30 bus exploded (Picture: Steve Parsons/PA)

Steve Parsons/PA

12/15
Rescue

Firefighters bring up the injured at Aldgate Tube station after the Circle line blast that killed seven (Picture: John Stillwell/PA)

John Stillwell/PA

13/15
Cordon

Police near Edgware Road Tube station following the blast that killed six (Picture: Edmond Terakopian/PA)

Edmond Terakopian/PA

14/15
Scars

An injured Tube passenger after being treated near Edgware Road station

Edmond Terakopian/PA

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Memorial

The July 7 memorial in Hyde Park, which has one pole for every one of the 52 victims (Picture: John Stillwell/PA)

John Stillwell/PA

Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe said the service was a time to remember “how strongly we came together to stand up to the threat we faced, and to send a message to terrorists that London was, and continues to be, strong, united and vibrant.”

He added: “For so many of my officers and staff the 7th of July 2005 is a day that they too will never forget. A day that doing their duty meant running towards scenes of horror that were unimaginable, not knowing what would face them when they arrived and doing their absolute very best to help.”

There was also a memorial service at St Paul’s attended by the Duke of York, Mr Cameron, Mr Johnson, Tony Blair and Ken Livingstone, who was Mayor at the time of the attacks.

In an address at the St Paul’s service of commemoration, the Bishop of London, Richard Chartres, said: “Soon after 7/7 the families and friends of the victims compiled a Book of Tributes. It is a taste of the ocean of pain surrounding the loss of each one of them.”

A period of quiet was observed across the capital’s public transport network. Met Assistant Commissioner Mark Rowley, the country’s most senior counter-terrorism officer, called on communities to “step forward” in the fight against radicalisation.

Andrew Parker, the head of MI5, said the “continuing fact” that some British citizens were prepared to target their own country presented a “serious societal and security challenge”.

On the day of the bombings London was celebrating winning the 2012 Olympics, the previous day. Suicide bombers Mohammed Sidique Khan, 30, Shehzad Tanweer, 22, Hasib Hussain, 18, and Jermaine Lindsay, 19, met at Luton station. They took a train to King’s Cross, hugged and separated to carry out their atrocities.